Apple season is here, and these 25 Best Apple Cake Recipes are some of the most delicious ways to put fresh apples to good use. From old-fashioned apple cakes and beautiful Bundt cakes to caramel apple cakes, coffee cakes and crumb-topped favorites, there’s an apple cake here for every fall baking occasion.
I love baking with apples because they add so much flavor and moisture to a cake. Pair them with cinnamon, brown sugar, caramel, pecans or cream cheese frosting, and it’s pretty hard to go wrong.
If you’ve just been apple picking and came home with more apples than you know what to do with, start here. Some of these apple cakes are simple enough for an afternoon snack with coffee, while others are impressive desserts I’d happily serve for Thanksgiving or a special fall dinner.
And if cake isn’t what you’re looking for, be sure to check out my 50 Best Apple Recipes for Fall and 20 Best Apple Bread Recipes for even more fall baking inspiration.
What Are the Best Apples for Apple Cake?
Firm, flavorful apples are generally best for baking because they hold up well in the oven instead of immediately turning to mush.
A few of my favorites are:
- Granny Smith: Tart and firm, and especially good when the cake itself is fairly sweet.
- Honeycrisp: Crisp, juicy and nicely balanced between sweet and tart.
- Braeburn: Firm with plenty of apple flavor and a little tartness.
- Pink Lady: A great sweet-tart apple that holds its shape well when baked.
- Jonagold: Juicy and flavorful with a nice balance of sweetness and acidity.
Don’t be afraid to combine apple varieties either. Using one tart apple and one sweeter apple can give your cake even better flavor.
Individual recipes may recommend a particular apple variety, so follow that recommendation when one is given.
Classic Apple Cake Recipes
We’ll start with the classics. These cakes put apples front and center, with plenty of cinnamon, spice and all of those cozy flavors we associate with fall.
1. Cinnamon Apple Pie Cake — RecipeGirl
This Cinnamon Apple Pie Cake is one of my favorite apple desserts because it’s almost impossible to decide whether it’s a pie or a cake! Six to eight Granny Smith apples are layered into the pan, and a simple cake batter works its way around all of those apples as it bakes. The finished cake is packed with tender apple slices and cinnamon, and it’s especially good served warm with vanilla ice cream.
2. Easy Apple Cake — Sally’s Baking
This Easy Apple Cake is exactly the kind of uncomplicated fall cake everyone needs in their recipe box. It’s soft and moist with plenty of fresh apple in every bite and can be served plain or finished with a brown sugar glaze.
This is a good one to choose when you want a traditional apple cake that isn’t overly fussy.
3. Old-Fashioned Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting — King Arthur Baking
If you’re looking for an old-fashioned apple cake, this one checks all the boxes. Fresh chopped apples and warm spices are baked into a moist 9×13-inch cake and topped with a rich brown sugar frosting.
The frosting has an almost brown-sugar-fudge quality that makes this cake particularly tempting.
4. French Apple Cake — Once Upon a Chef
French apple cakes are a little different from the cinnamon-heavy cakes we tend to make in the fall. This version has tart apples baked into a buttery cake with just a hint of rum.
It’s simple, elegant and the kind of cake that’s just as appropriate for an afternoon snack with coffee as it is for dessert.
5. Whole Grain Apple Cake — RecipeGirl
For something a little lighter, try my Whole Grain Apple Cake. It’s made with a combination of all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour and oat bran, with three cups of shredded apples mixed into the batter.
Instead of frosting, I like to finish this simple apple snack cake with a dusting of powdered sugar.
6. Mostly Apples Apple Cake — King Arthur Baking
The name says it all! This cake is absolutely loaded with sliced apples with just enough batter to hold everything together.
As it bakes, the cake becomes tender and almost custardy around all of those apples. If your main goal is using up a lot of fresh apples, this one should definitely be on your list.
Caramel Apple Cakes
Apple and caramel may be one of the best fall dessert combinations ever. These cakes take full advantage of it!
7. Apple Cake with Hot Caramel Rum Sauce — RecipeGirl
My Apple Cake with Hot Caramel Rum Sauce starts with a simple cinnamon-and-nutmeg apple cake with optional pecans.
But the real star is the warm caramel rum sauce poured over individual slices. This is one I’d serve warm for dessert with plenty of sauce spooned over the top.
8. Chopped Apple Cake with Sticky Toffee Topping — RecipeGirl
This Chopped Apple Cake with Sticky Toffee Topping isn’t a fancy-looking cake, and that’s part of its charm.
There are plenty of chopped apples baked into the cake, and the sticky toffee topping soaks into it for an extra-rich fall dessert. Serve it with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
9. Fresh Apple Cake with Caramel Sauce — Tastes Better From Scratch
Fresh grated apples and warm spices make this cake especially moist, but it’s the homemade caramel sauce poured over the top that really makes it special.
It’s based on a treasured family recipe and is exactly the kind of old-fashioned dessert that feels right for apple season.
10. Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake — RecipeGirl
My Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake has apples arranged over a buttery brown sugar and cinnamon mixture with a cinnamon cake baked on top.
Flip it over after baking and those apples become the gorgeous caramelized top of the cake. Add freshly whipped cream and serve it while it’s still a little warm.
Apple Bundt Cakes
Bundt cakes are great for fall entertaining because they look impressive without requiring complicated decorating. Apples also help keep these cakes especially moist.
11. Apple Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Icing — RecipeGirl
My Apple Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Icing has shredded fresh apples baked right into the batter along with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Once the cake has cooled, it’s finished with a thick cream cheese icing. This is an easy cake to make for a fall party or holiday gathering because the Bundt pan does most of the decorating for you.
12. Apple Cake with Browned Butter Frosting — Cookies & Cups
This old-fashioned apple Bundt cake is filled with tart apples and cinnamon and topped with a browned butter frosting.
Brown butter adds a wonderfully nutty flavor that works especially well with apples and warm spices.
13. Apple Dapple Cake — Southern Living
Apple Dapple Cake is a Southern-style Bundt cake packed with apples, warm spices and pecans.
A caramel-style glaze is poured over the cake, making it extra moist and flavorful. It’s an especially good choice if you like old-fashioned cakes that get even better after they’ve had time to sit.
14. Apple Butter Pound Cake — Southern Living
Here’s one for the apple butter fans. This fall pound cake uses apple butter to add both apple flavor and warm spice to the cake.
Pecans and caramel frosting make it even more decadent. It’s a beautiful cake for a fall gathering or Thanksgiving dessert table.
Apple Coffee Cakes and Crumb Cakes
Apple cake for breakfast? Absolutely.
These coffee and crumb cakes are especially good with a hot cup of coffee on a cool fall morning, but they’re sweet enough to serve for dessert too.
15. Apple Cream Cheese Coffee Cake — RecipeGirl
My Apple Cream Cheese Coffee Cake has a rich cream-cheese cake base topped with fresh apple slices tossed with cinnamon and sugar.
It’s baked in a 9×13-inch pan, so it’s an easy choice for brunch or when you need something that serves a crowd.
16. Apple Crumb Cake — Sally’s Baking
This cake combines three things that belong together: buttery cake, cinnamon apples and a generous crumb topping.
A maple icing is drizzled over the finished cake. If you’re the person who always reaches for the piece of coffee cake with the most crumbs, this is the one to make.
17. Apple Crumb Cake — King Arthur Baking
This version has a layer of apple-pie-spiced apples tucked between a moist sour cream cake and a buttery streusel topping.
It’s substantial enough for dessert but completely acceptable for breakfast or brunch too.
18. Apple Skillet Cake — King Arthur Baking
This easy skillet cake starts with a buttery vanilla cake and adds fresh apple slices flavored with apple pie spice and boiled cider.
Bake and serve it right from the skillet with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for a cozy fall dessert.
Special Apple Cakes Worth Making
Some apple cakes don’t fit neatly into one category—and they’re often the most fun ones to make.
19. Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cake — RecipeGirl
If you really want to impress someone, make my Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cake.
This is definitely the showstopper of the collection. A full cheesecake layer is sandwiched between two cinnamon-spiced apple cake layers, and the whole thing is covered in caramel frosting and finished with apples and caramel.
It’s more of a project than a simple snack cake, but the finished cake is spectacular.
20. Caramel Apple Dump Cake — RecipeBoy
For the opposite end of the difficulty spectrum, Caramel Apple Dump Cake from RecipeBoy couldn’t be much easier.
Apple pie filling, cinnamon and caramel are topped with dry cake mix, nuts and melted butter. Bake until everything is hot and golden, then serve it warm with vanilla ice cream.
This is a great recipe to keep around when you need a last-minute fall dessert.
21. Apple Cake in an Iron Skillet — The Pioneer Woman
This rustic skillet cake starts with apples cooked in butter and sugar right in an oven-safe skillet.
Cake batter with sour cream, cinnamon and even more chopped apple goes on top. After baking, the cake is inverted to reveal the buttery caramelized apples underneath.
22. French Apple Cake — David Lebovitz
This version of the classic French apple cake comes from Dorie Greenspan and is loaded with cubes of fresh apple held together by a simple buttery batter.
Rum gives the cake its distinctive flavor. Serve it plain, with crème fraîche or with vanilla ice cream.
23. Apple-Cinnamon Upside Down Cake — RecipeGirl
Upside-down cakes are especially pretty when they’re made with apples. The fruit caramelizes in butter and brown sugar as the cake bakes, and the best part comes when you flip the finished cake onto a platter and reveal all of those beautiful apples.
Serve this one slightly warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
24. Apple Cider Cake — Buttermilk by Sam
Apple cider is another great way to bring plenty of apple flavor to fall baking.
An Apple Cider Cake is especially nice when you want something that tastes unmistakably like fall but is a little different from a traditional chopped-apple cake.
25. Apple Fritter Cake — Reluctant Entertainer
This Apple Fritter Cake recipe captures all the cozy, cinnamon-spiced goodness of your favorite bakery fritter in an easy-to-make cake form! Tender chunks of Granny Smith apples are nestled between layers of moist, spiced cake, then finished with a sweet vanilla-maple glaze that seeps into every nook and cranny.
Tips for Baking the Best Apple Cakes
Apple cakes are generally pretty forgiving, but there are a few things that will help you get the best results.
Choose good baking apples. Firm apples hold their shape better in the oven and keep the cake from becoming mushy.
Don’t cut your apples too early. Apples begin browning once they’re exposed to air. Prep them when you’re ready to add them to the recipe unless the recipe directs you to toss them with lemon juice.
Measure the prepared apples. Apple sizes vary tremendously. When a recipe provides a cup or weight measurement, use that instead of relying only on the number of apples.
Don’t overmix your cake batter. Once the flour is added, mix just until everything is combined.
Check early for doneness. Moist apple cakes can be easy to overbake. Start checking at the earliest time given in the recipe.
Let Bundt cakes cool as directed. Removing a Bundt cake too early—or sometimes waiting too long—can make it stick. Follow the individual recipe’s cooling instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do You Need to Peel Apples for Apple Cake?
It depends on the cake. I usually prefer peeled apples in cakes where there are noticeable chunks or slices of fruit because the texture is a little softer. But some recipes specifically call for unpeeled apples, particularly when they’re shredded or finely chopped. There’s no universal rule, so follow the directions for the particular apple cake you’re making.
What makes apple cake so moist?
Fresh apples contain plenty of natural moisture, which is released into the cake as it bakes. That’s why apple cakes tend to stay moist longer than many plain cakes.
Can I use Granny Smith apples for apple cake?
Yes. Granny Smith apples are one of the best choices for baking. They’re firm enough to hold up in the oven, and their tart flavor is a nice contrast to a sweet cake.
Are Honeycrisp apples good for apple cake?
Yes. Honeycrisp apples are crisp, juicy and flavorful, and they work very well in many apple cake recipes.
Can I mix different apples in a cake?
Definitely. Combining a tart variety such as Granny Smith with a sweeter apple can give your cake more interesting apple flavor.
What flavors go well with apple cake?
Cinnamon is the obvious choice, but apples are also wonderful with nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cardamom, caramel, maple, brown sugar, pecans, walnuts and cream cheese.
Should apple cake be refrigerated?
It depends on the cake. Plain apple cakes can often be kept covered at room temperature, but cakes containing cream cheese frosting, cheesecake or other perishable ingredients should be refrigerated. Follow the storage directions in the individual recipe.
Can You Make Apple Cake Ahead of Time?
Absolutely. In fact, apple cake is one of my favorite desserts to make ahead. The moisture from the apples helps many cakes stay fresh for several days, and some spiced apple cakes taste even better the next day. Storage depends on the recipe. Cakes with cream cheese frosting or cheesecake layers need to be refrigerated, while many unfrosted apple cakes can be covered and stored at room temperature.
Can You Freeze Apple Cake?
Most apple cakes freeze very well. Cool the cake completely before wrapping it tightly. You can freeze the entire cake or wrap individual slices so you can pull them out whenever you’re craving something sweet. For cakes with elaborate frostings, glazes or toppings, check the individual recipe for specific freezing instructions.
More Apple Recipes for Fall
Still have apples left after baking a cake? I have plenty more ideas!
My 50 Best Apple Recipes for Fall is the place to start. It includes apple muffins, breads, pies, crisps, cobblers, breakfast recipes and plenty of other apple desserts.
You can also check out my 20 Best Apple Bread Recipes if you’re in the mood for an easy loaf to bake with your apple-picking haul.
And there are more apple collections coming, so there will be no shortage of ways to use fresh apples this fall!
